Biographical films, commonly known as biopics, give viewers a chance to get an often overtly dramatized and detail lacking glimpse into a celebrity's life. I should know seeing as though I have watched almost every single biopic about a Black celebrity. From the movie that quickly became the favorites of your 11 year old sister and your 70-year-old grandmother ("The Five Heartbeats") to the movie that we all want to forget ever happened ("Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B"), I have watched them all. For this reason, I consider myself a connoisseur of black biopics, so naturally I had to make a list detailing my choices of five black celebrities who need a biopic made.

1. Stokely Carmichael

Stokely Carmichael was a man who had so much power behind his words that rapper Talib Kweli was questioned by the FBI, CIA, and TSA at an airport due to him listening to one of Carmichael's speeches. The philosophy major from Howard University dove into activism by spending his summers in the South with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the SNCC, trying to register African Americans to vote in Alabama and Mississippi while facing brutal attacks from racists. In 1966, Carmichael coined the term "black power" while speaking at a rally in Mississippi. African Americans listening took Carmichael using "black power" as encouragement to embrace their Afros and resist European standards all while actively participating in the movement. Carmichael's speech gave African Americans the push they needed into actively participating within the Black Power Movement. Carmichael also shocked many with his provocative statements on the United States government, as seen here. Stokely Carmichael was successfully able to provoke a movement and to reshape the way African Americans looked at themselves and their government.

2. William "Bootsy" Collins

This one is for all of my old school music lovers. His eccentric style, funk filled music, and rockstar persona made millions fall in love with the bassist, Bootsy Collins. Born William Collins in Cincinnati, Collins created "The Pacesetters" in 1968 which also featured his brother, Phelps "Catfish" Collins. In 1969-1971, the band moved onto becoming the official backup band for James Brown and consequently were named "The J.B.'s". The seeds for Collins' solo career were planted when Bootsy joined George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic. Clinton encouraged Collins to form his own band, thus, "Bootsy's Rubber Band" was formed in 1976. Bootsy Collins was responsible for shaping the sound of funk music seeing as though he is responsible for the progressions and patterns that made songs like James Brown's "Get Up I Feel Like a Sex Machine" instant hits. He also blessed our ears with hits like "I'd Rather Be With You" and "Bootzilla". Collins is one of the only artists from the funk era of music who was able to remain a household name, even after the period was long gone, which can be credited to his performance at the 2005 BET Awards here. Funk music has inspired the development of rap, R&B, and some rock music. Bootsy Collins is/was a major player in funk music and with his big personality and rockstar life, his biopic would be out of this world.

3. Eartha Kitt

Who better to watch a biopic on than this fabulous and wise "Catwoman?" Eartha Kitt's rise to fame began when she toured with famed dancer and choreographer, Katherine Dunham as a member of Dunham's dance troupe. She eventually left the group and went solo where she gained popularity in Paris as a nightclub singer. Her first album in 1954 featured her classic song "Santa Baby", which is still considered a holiday classic by many. Kitt stared on the big screen along with legendary acts such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Nat "King" Cole, but she landed her most famous role as "Catwoman" on the television series "Batman"in the late 1960s. Eartha Kitt was never held back her tongue in order to protect the feelings of others. Kitt actually made First Lady Lady Bird Johnson cry at a White House luncheon when she expressed her thoughts on the Vietnam War. According to the Washington Post, Kitt stated "You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. No wonder the kids rebel and take pot." Her statements offended President Johnson and her popularity within the states diminished causing her to perform abroad. The incident also caused the CIA to closely watch her for years with thoughts that she believed in communist ideals. Later on in her career, Kitt used her distinctive voice as the character "Yzma" in the animated series "The Emperor's New School" which earned her a Daytime Emmy Award. Eartha Kitt was able to show that black women were capable of being sexy and confident as much or even more than their white counterparts. She also served as an inspiration for young women as she shared her wisdom from many failed unhealthy relationships with men in her 1982 documentary, "All By Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story." Eartha Kitt radiated confidence and grace throughout her whole life and she truly earns the title of an OG Carefree Black Girl.

4. Chaka Khan

Another OG Carefree Black Girl and more than likely your hair crush, Chaka Khan was able to rock the music industry as "The Queen of Funk". Chaka, born as Yvette Marie Stevens, began her music career by performing with many local bands in Chicago. Members of the group "Rufus" recruited Chaka to become the new lead singer for their group and the rest was history. Hits like "Tell Me Something Good" and "Sweet Thing" helped the band to achieve notoriety and Chaka eventually left the group, beginning her solo career. The disco hit "I'm Every Woman" kicked Chaka's solo music career off on a high note. Chaka has influenced rap artists from Common to Schoolboy Q and coincidentally she was also the first R&B artist to feature a rapper with "I Feel For You in 1984". Check out a list of the rappers Chaka Khan has inspired here. Ms. Chaka Khan has also won a whopping 10 Grammy Awards throughout her career. This ex-Black Panther deserves nothing less than a biopic that captures her true legacy.

5. Mahalia Jackson

Commonly known as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement", Martin Luther King Jr. often called Mahalia Jackson to sing to him in order to ease his mind and to lift his spirits. Jackson influenced the sound of gospel music today and also opened the door for greats like Aretha Franklin with her soulful voice. Before Mahalia Jackson, hearty and soulful singing was not widely accepted, but Jackson was able to create a new norm with her voice and singing style as seen here. Mahalia Jackson served as an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement and a biopic for her is frankly overdue.